


The Price of Gold

by HighlyOpinionatedNerd



Category: One Piece
Genre: Jolly Roger Pirates, announcer voice: this is the tale of the Pirate King, tears were shed in the writing of this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-27
Updated: 2017-06-27
Packaged: 2018-11-19 21:54:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11322498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HighlyOpinionatedNerd/pseuds/HighlyOpinionatedNerd
Summary: Rayleigh tells Luffy a story about Gold Roger, as he remembers him.





	The Price of Gold

“Hey Rayleigh,” Luffy said, “what was he like? Gold Roger, I mean.”

Rayleigh blinked, taken aback by the sudden question. “Captain Roger? He was a real incredible man, I guess. Why do you ask?”

“I dunno. I was just sorta thinking about it earlier.”

The two of them had just finished a long day of training. Rayleigh had started a fire, and begun roasting their dinner on a spit. The sun had long since disappeared behind the trees and around them, the night animals of the jungle were starting to stir.

“Will you tell me a story about him?” Luffy asked persistently.

Rayleigh hesitated. He stoked the fire, stalling for time. “I could,” he eventually answered quietly, “but it might not be the story you want to hear.”

“I do want to hear it,” Luffy said decisively, leaning forward a little. “I don’t really know anything about him. Or you, or Shanks, when you guys were with him. Tell me.”

“Alright, alright already. I’ll tell you about Gol D Roger.” Rayleigh took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. “The first thing you need to know about the Pirate King, is that he wasn’t always as grand as you probably know him. Once, a long time ago…”

 

….he was just a shabby kid in a straw hat. That had been Rayleigh’s first impression of him. A shabby kid in a straw hat, who had a really big mouth. Roger would talk to anyone who would listen to him, about his dreams and his goals. About his destiny.

Rayleigh thought it was silly, the way he went on and on. But he found that he wasn’t really able to stop listening. You couldn’t not listen to Roger when he talked, no matter what he was saying. He seemed to have some sort of bizarre gift. 

He was a fascinating person. It had never been Rayleigh’s intentions to follow him, but somehow it happened anyway. And it kept happening, until Roger had a whole crew swearing allegiance to him, as their captain. 

In travelling with him, Rayleigh slowly discovered that there was actually a lot more to Gold Roger than met the eye. For one thing, he was incredibly smart. And beneath his general air of selfishness and spontaneity, there was a hidden layer of sensitivity. 

Roger hardly ever showed this latter side of himself, even to those close to him. But Rayleigh knew it was there. He saw the way Roger took care of his crew members when they were sick or injured, the way he sometimes spared an enemy in battle. 

Roger probably considered these moments of weakness. Rayleigh thought of them as hidden strengths, and it only made him more dedicated to helping Roger achieve his goals.

A few years passed. Roger began to look the part of a strong pirate captain, and his name began to spread and gain recognition. The Jolly Roger Pirates traveled through the East Blue, taking on every challenge they came across, making both friends and enemies in abundance.

Eventually, Roger decided they were ready to enter the Grand Line itself. They set sail towards the Reverse Mountain, eager to start the next phase of the adventure.

But one day, out of the blue, Roger collapsed. There had been no previous signs of sickness, and Rayleigh was terrified. The sight of his invincible captain lying unconscious on the deck was terrifying to him.

They headed straight for the nearest island, desperate to get help. Rayleigh was turned away by every doctor there; none of them were willing to get involved with known pirates. One woman grudgingly told him that a man named Crocus, at the Twin Capes Lighthouse, might be able to help.

So the Jolly Roger crew resumed their course, towards Twin Capes and the Reverse Mountain. Roger himself remained in a feverish state of semi-consciousness the whole time. As the first mate, Rayleigh took over the captain’s duties, even though he hated it.

No one could take Roger’s place. Rayleigh didn’t know what he would do if Roger died.

Crocus turned out to be a somewhat grumpy man who lived alone at the lighthouse that marked the entrance to the Grand Line. His only company came from a large black whale that dwelled just offshore, and that seemed to be the way he liked it. Rayleigh had to plead with him for ten whole minutes before he finally agreed to come aboard and take a look at Roger.

“Do you know what’s wrong with him?” Rayleigh asked, hovering over the doctor’s shoulder.

“This man is dying,” Crocus answered brusquely, peeling back one of Roger’s eyelids. “This is a very rare and serious disease. There’s no cure,” he said, looking back at Rayleigh. “I’m sorry.”

“There….there must be something we can do,” Rayleigh choked out, trying as hard as he could to keep from having a hysteric breakdown.

“Well, I might be able to slow the progression a bit. At the very least I think I could ease his suffering a little. But he’d have to stay here, with me.”

“Our captain would never agree to that. He says he’s going to be the man who conquers the Grand Line.”

“Do you believe him?”

“Yes,” Rayleigh answered simply. “I do.”

“Hmph. Most of the people that pass through here say the same thing. But it’s never been done. What makes this man any different from the rest of them?”

“I am different,” Roger croaked, making both of the other men jump.

“Roger, you’re not well. You should be resting.”

“I’m fine, Ray.” Roger propped himself up on one elbow, staring intently at Crocus. “I will conquer the Grand Line. I ain’t gonna let this keep me down. I’m gonna turn this whole world on its head, jus’ you watch.”

Crocus crossed his arms. “What makes you so sure? You believe in fate or something? If I had a few beri for every time some pirate told me he about his fate...”

“I make my own fate,” Roger stated loudly, and then immediately burst into a fit of coughing. Rayleigh hurried to bring him some water, but Roger waved him away impatiently. 

“Crocus,” he continued, his voice sounding even rougher than before, “you said you can slow this thing down, right? Then come with us. Join us, jus’ until we can make it through the Grand Line.”

“Go with you?” Crocus glanced over his shoulder, towards something Rayleigh couldn’t see. “I don’t know about that.”

“You mean to tell me that you’ve lived here all this time and never once thought about going in yourself?”

“Of course I have. Many times. But no one ever makes it back.”

“I swear to you that we will be the ones to make it. But only if you come with us.”

They entered the Grand Line the next day, Crocus along with them, and Roger back on his feet. 

Roger didn’t tell his crew about the illness. He told them that he was better, and they accepted his word without question. They were also quick to welcome Crocus as one of their number. The doctor himself adapted to the life of a pirate fairly quickly; as it turned out, in addition to medicine, he could handle himself quite well with a harpoon. 

Roger was quick to back up his tough talk with results in the Line. Within a year the Jolly Rogers had a new, bigger ship, a much larger crew, and a very wide-spread reputation. The first bounty the marines placed on Gold Roger’s head shattered the records for the highest rookie bounty for the last twenty years. 

Life in the Grand Line was much different than in the East Blue. There were so many new sights to see, and places to go, and people to meet. Rayleigh felt sure that he could spend his whole life travelling the Line and never truly experience everything. But Roger was determined to do all of it in just a few short years.

Whenever they approached a new island, Roger would stand at the very prow of the ship, eagerly looking forward to whatever lay ahead. He left no island unexplored, be it a sweltering desert, a frozen tundra, or a bustling city. He always looked so energetic. Rayleigh would never have guessed how sick his captain was if he hadn’t already known.

Of course, their travels were by no means all fun and games. They went through their fair share of hard times. Sometimes they were kept up all through the night by fierce storms that threatened to tear the very ship apart. Sometimes they went hungry, days’ sail from any inhabited island. Sometimes they fought so hard and bloody that there weren’t bandages enough to go around.

Rayleigh learned just as much from the hard times as he did from the good. Maybe more. He learned how to control the forces of haki, how to kill swiftly and effectively. Worse than that, he learned about the deadly weapons of the Void Century.

“Do you ever feel like, I don’t know, like we shouldn’t have this knowledge?” he asked Roger one day.

“What d’you mean?”

“The Poneglyphs. We could kill so many people.”

“Don’ be silly, Ray. The fact that we know about those things, and ev’ryone else doesn’t, is cos we’re the only ones worthy to know.”

“It was you who figured most of it out. I hardly did a thing. How does that make me worthy?”

“Are you plannin’ to use any of those weapons?”

“No, of course not.”

“There you go. That’s why you’re worthy. Listen Ray, just because you have certain knowledge doesn’t mean you have to use it. And now that you have it, you choose who else gets to know.”

“What if I make a mistake? What if I think someone else is worthy to know, and it turns out that I’m wrong?”

“You won’. When you meet someone worthy, you’ll know. You’ll just know.”

Together they traveled from the heights of Skypeia to the depths of the Fishman Kingdom, and everywhere in between. They lived truly freely, taking whatever they wanted, when they wanted. 

Along the way, Roger wasn’t the only one Rayleigh grew close to. He developed a tight bond with all of his crewmates, the kind of bond that can only be forged by shared experiences and beliefs. Even the two youngest men on the crew, the ship’s apprentices they’d picked up back in the East Blue.

“What do you think Raftel will be like, once we get there?” Shanks asked him eagerly one evening.

“I don’t know. But I hear it’s a pirate’s paradise.”

“That doesn’t really make sense,” Buggy said. “How is paradise different for a pirate than for an ordinary guy? Is there like, a lot of people to steal from or something?”

“I bet there’s treasure everywhere.” Shanks spread his arms wide to illustrate exactly what he meant. “And good food, as much as you could ever want. And beer!”

“And if no one has ever been there, how is it that we supposedly know it’s a pirate’s paradise, anyway?” Buggy continued, frowning. “That sounds made up. That sounds like propaganda or something.”

“Shut up Buggy, you’re ruining the fun!”

“Play nice, Shanks. Buggy, you’ll just have to see for yourself once we get there. If you think it’s anything less than a pirate’s paradise, I guess it’ll be up to you to tell the world.”

“What do you want to find there, Rayleigh? You don’t really seem to care too much about treasure.”

“Hm,” said Rayleigh, thinking about Roger. “I just hope it’s peaceful. By the time we get there, I’m sure all of us will need a rest.”

Roger’s illness got worse over time. He still worked hard not to let the crew see it, but sometimes it was bad enough that he was forced to break down and actually let Rayleigh and Crocus help him. They did everything he could, but it was never enough.

“There has to be something else we can do, Crocus.”

“We’ve known from the start that this disease is fatal. It’s basically a miracle that he’s still alive, especially with everything he’s been doing.”

“I know, I know...you’re right. I just hate seeing him in pain like that.”

“He’s strong, Rayleigh. He’s got the strongest will to live that I’ve ever seen. All we can do is our best to help him reach the end.”

Three years after they entered the Grand Line, the Jolly Roger Pirates reached the island of Raftel. As captain, Gold Roger officially claimed the title of Pirate King. The end of their great journey was everything they had hoped it would be.

Then it was over, and they went back to life outside the Line. Roger encouraged his crew members to go their own ways, and start new adventures of their own, and they did.

Crocus went back to the Twin Capes Lighthouse, having accomplished everything he had wanted to in the Line. Rayleigh stayed with Roger.

For a time, it was just as it had once been. Just the two of them. They even went back to the East Blue. 

But things were different now from when Rayleigh and Roger had first met. Everywhere they went, everyone knew their faces. And though there were many new adventures to be had, none of them seemed to compare to what they had already been through.

A year passed in this way. Rayleigh and Roger were sometimes apart, but never far. Roger entered a serious relationship with a woman, but Rayleigh never seemed to find anyone.

Roger delighted in being recognized, being acknowledged as the Pirate King. Even with his health declining all the time, he looked happy every time that Rayleigh saw him. For the last year of his life, he was happy.

And then time ran out.

“I’ve made up my mind about this, Ray. You won’ be able to talk me out of it.”

“I know. I’ve never been able to talk you out of anything anyway.”

“Damn right. I knew you’d understand.”

“Does Rouge know?”

“Yeah, I already told her. She’s gonna head back to her hometown in the South Blue, just until all of this kinda blows over.”

“I could go with her, if you want. I could help look after the baby, once it’s born.”

“Nah, you don’ need to worry about that. We’ve got it all worked out. You jus’ live your life, Ray. Do whatever you want.”

“I don’t know what I want.”

“Yes you do. You jus’ don’ want to admit it. But you already know.”

The two of them stood silently for a moment. It was an absurdly clear day, not a cloud in the sky.

“I guess I’d best get goin’,” Roger said quietly. “Thank you for ev’rything you’ve done for me, Silvers Rayleigh .”

“I’m the one who should be thanking you,” Rayleigh whispered. He didn’t trust his voice not to crack.

“Oh, c’mon now, Ray,” said Roger, not the least bit fooled. “You gotta promise me you won’ cry.”

“How do you expect me not to? I’m going to have to watch you die.”

Roger grinned. It was the same confident grin Rayleigh had seen a million times before, without even a hint of fear or regret. 

“I ain’t gonna die, partner,” he said. Without another word he turned and walked away, leaving Rayleigh feeling helpless and alone in the bright sunlight.

Three days later Gold Roger was executed. It happened in front of an enormous crowd in the town where he had been born, Loguetown. Rayleigh watched it happen. Watched as the marines put on a false show of force, pretending to have captured the Pirate King. Watched as Roger said his last words, a challenge to the next generation. 

 

“I watched him die, Luffy. And I was the only one there who knew the truth.”

Rayleigh lapsed into silence, still staring into the fire. It had been a long time since he’d thought this much about his captain. It was still a little painful, even all these years later.

“The woman you mentioned,” Luffy said. “That was Ace’s mother, wasn’t it?”

“Yes. Her name was Portgas D Rouge, and she was truly an incredible woman. He loved her.”

“I wish Ace could have met them. He never knew about any of this stuff.”

Rayleigh looked over at Luffy. The boy was so energetic that sometimes it was easy to forget that he too was dealing with a loss, one much more recent than Rayleigh’s.

“I never had a chance to meet Ace either,” he said, “but it seems to me that he already had a pretty good family.”

Luffy smiled. “Maybe tomorrow it’ll be my turn to tell you a story. About Ace.”

“Maybe. But for now I think you need to get some rest. We’ve got a lot more training to do if you ever hope to follow in my captain’s footsteps.”

“One more thing Rayleigh, one more thing! You said that Roger told you you’d know when you met someone worthy to train.” Luffy grinned and pointed at his chest. “That was me, right? It was, wasn’t it! That proves it, that I am going to be the next Pirate King!”

“Did you not hear what I just said about having a lot of training left to do?” Rayleigh asked. “Go to sleep already, damn it.”

“Ok, ok, I’m sleeping.” Still grinning, Luffy laid down and rolled onto his side, his back to the fire.

Rayleigh shook his head in exasperation, but he was smiling. The kid sure was something.

A scattering of stars was visible above, through the jungle canopy. Rayleigh looked up at them, still thinking about the time he’d spent in the Grand Line fifty years ago with Roger and the others.

To Rayleigh, Roger’s illness had always seemed like a cruel twist of fate. The price that he paid for achieving his dearest dream and becoming the Pirate King. 

Perhaps Luffy was already paying a similar price. Paying with the death of his brother, and the newly-healed scar across his chest.

Rayleigh sighed and also laid down for the night. If the last fifty years had taught him anything, it was that only time would tell.

He supposed he’d just have to wait and see.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


End file.
